For the past seven years, much of Margaret LaTour's energy has been expended rescuing otherwise doomed purebred German shepherds. LaTour is one of over 100 "breed reps" affiliated with Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue (SPDR), an all-volunteer organization started in 1987.

A few years ago, SPDR handled 2,600 dogs, of which 77% found homes. SPDR now has over 100 breed reps working to place 120 different breeds. Ten animal shelters refer dogs in need to the Seattle-based group. Individual breed reps then step in to evaluate the dogs and attempt to find homes for them. Adopters sign contracts detailing the care the dogs will receive, covering everything from a ban on being tied up to an absolute spay/neuter requirement.

LaTour's "must have" recommendations for those who want to launch a purebred rescue group: a firm concept of what constitutes a good home; clear adoption policies; an assessment of which dogs can realistically be placed; plenty of help. She points out the toll taken on breed reps: family disruptions, the knowledge that, "You can't save them all, no matter how many wonderful homes you have." Then why does she do it? "I love these dogs. I love these dogs. If I don't do it, they all die."

SPDR's rescue packet "takes the guesswork out of everything."

Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue
P.O. Box 3523
Redmond, WA 98073-3523
(206) 654-1117

If You're a Purebred Fancier

Contact or form a breed rescue group to work with local shelters.

Enforce a code of ethics within your breed club. Establish guide-lines to alleviate overpopulation, including limits on the number of times an animal is to be bred per year and for his/her lifetime.

Clearly tell buyers what it means to have this breed: size, shedding, temperament, etc.

Stay with the buyer until the animal is established in the home and provisions have been made for training and veterinary care. Review appropriate and inappropriate food, confinement, handling and basic care.

Enforce a spay/neuter contract: withhold registration until surgery is done or have the animal neutered before going to the new home; promote early neutering.

Agree to take the animal back if the buyer can't keep her; no matter what the reason; for the animal's lifetime.

Two organizations operate programs that provide spaying and neutering at reduced costs across the country.

1,400 veterinarians in 47 states participate in Friends of Animals' Breeding Control Program, which assisted in the neutering of over 65,000 animals last year. FOA works cooperatively with innumerable shelters and activists.

Friends of Animals
Box 1244
Norwalk, CT 06853
(800) 321-PETS

Used by 20,000 people last year, SPAY/USA's referral hotline has information on 600 local low-cost sterilization efforts that utilize the services of several thousand veterinarians. SPAY/USA also offers proceedings from its recent national conference in hardcover ($20), and plans two local conferences, both in the southern U.S., for 1995.

SPAY/USA
14 Vanderventer Avenue
Port Washington, NY 11050
(800) 248-SPAY

This page is © 1999, 2000 by DS G ra p hi x. Last updated 02 January 2000.

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